Plug connector

ABSTRACT

A connector including a first connector element and a second connector element that are coupled into a single unit, in which the first connector element has an engagement projection that projects interior of the first connector element and extends in the direction of the depth of the first connector element so that the front end of the engagement projection is spacedly apart from the front edge of the first connector element, and the second connector element is formed with an engagement slit that extends in the direction of depth of the second connector element and engages with the engagement projection of the first connector element.

Notice: More than one reissue application has been filed for the reissueof U.S. Pat. No. 6,776,660. The reissue applications are applicationSer. Nos. 11/334,820 and 29/318,045, all of which are continuationreissues of Ser. No. 11/334,820.

BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION

1. Field of the Invention

The present invention relates to a connector and more particularly to anelectrical connector used in, for instance, small size electricalappliances.

2. Prior Art

In for instance, computer related electronic appliances, the electricalconnections including connections to an AC adapter, to interfaces, etc.are made in many different ways. Such electrical connections aretypically made by connectors that substantially comprise a receptacle(female) side connector element and a plug (male) side connector elementthat is brought into the receptacle side connector and coupled theretofor making electrical connection in between so that pin-shapedelectrodes installed in the connector elements are connected.

More specifically, connectors typically include in their metal shells aplurality of pins (or terminals) that are arranged in parallel in theirlongitudinal directions and positionally secured by insulator materialsuch as polyamide, LCP (liquid crystalline polymer), etc. The pins inthe receptacle and plug side connector elements are spacedly arrangedside by side in the direction in which the connector elements are matedtogether.

Upon making connection of the plug side connector element into thereceptacle side connector element, it is necessary that respective pinsin two connector elements be aligned to be on a straight line. In otherwords, it is necessary to avoid the connector elements from beingoblique to each other when they are brought together at their frontedges for connection. If the plug side connector element in an obliqueposture with reference to the receptacle side connector element, asshown in FIG. 10, is pushed into the receptacle side connector element,an irregular pin connection is made (as at 100) as seen from theenlarged view shown in the circle in FIG. 10, and this would causeseveral problems including short-circuiting.

In addition, when the plug side connector element is connected to thereceptacle connector element in a slanted posture (which can easilyoccur when there is size differences between the receptacle and plugside connector elements), removing of the plug side connector elementfrom the receptacle side connector element is not easily done andoccasionally requires forcible and repeated twists on the shell of theplug side connector element This would cause damage to the pins and theshells of both connector elements.

Thus, though pin alignment is essential when connection is made betweenthe two connector elements, such a pin alignment is not obtained easilyand this difficulty can occur often when the connector is small in sizeand used in small size electrical devices such as a personal digitalassistance (PDA), digital cameras, camcorders, etc.

SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION

Accordingly, the object of the present invention is to provide anelectrical connector that allows accurate and secure connections orcoupling between connector elements to be made easily without causingpin or electrode misalignment.

The above object is accomplished by a unique structure of the presentinvention for a connector that comprises a first connector element and asecond connector element that are coupled together when the secondconnector element is fitted in the first connector element, and in thepresent invention:

-   -   the first connector element is formed with an engagement        projection that extends in the direction of the depth of the        first connector element, the front end of the engagement        projection being spacedly apart from the front edge of the first        connector element; and    -   the second connector element is formed with an engagement slit        or slot that extends in the direction of the depth of the second        connector element so that the engagement slit receives therein        the engagement projection of first connector element when the        first and second connector elements are connected.

With the structure above, upon connecting the second connector elementto the first connector element, the front end of the engagement slit ofthe second connector element engages with the engagement projection ofthe fist connecting element after the front end of the engagement slithas advanced the distance between the front edge of the first connectorelement and the front end of the engagement projection, and then thesecond connector element is pushed all the way to back of the firstconnector element in the depth of the first connector element whilebeing guided by the engagement slit engaging with the engagementprojection. Accordingly, even when the second connector element isobliquely pushed into the first connector element at the initial stageof coupling process, such oblique posture is corrected by the engagementprojection of the first connector element as the second connectorelement is pushed and advanced to the back of the first connectorelement, and a connection between the first and second connectorelements with the pins (electrodes) inside both of them being alignedstraight can be made assuredly.

BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS

FIG. 1 is a perspective view of the first connector body (firstconnector element) of the connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 2 is a perspective view of the second connector body (secondconnector element) of the connector according to the present invention;

FIG. 3 is a schematic top view of the first connector body,

FIG. 4 schematically shows the cross section of the first connector bodytaken along the line 44 in FIG. 3;

FIG. 5 is a schematic top view of the second connector body,

FIG. 6 schematically shows the cross section of the second connectorbody taken along the line 6-6 in FIG. 5;

FIG. 7 illustrates the second connector body which is combined with aplug assembly,

FIG. 8 illustrates the manner of connecting the second connector body tothe first connector body,

FIG. 9 illustrates the first connector body to which the secondconnector body (not seen) is connected; and

FIG. 10 illustrates the manner of oblique connection of the first andsecond connector elements in prior art connector.

DETAILED DESCRIPTION OF THE INVENTION

The connector of the present invention is comprised of a first connectorbody 20 (a receptacle side connector element) and a second connectorbody 40 (a plug side connector element).

As seen from FIGS. 1 and 2, the first and second connector bodies 20 and40 comprise respectively a relatively flat box shape shell 22 and 42made of a metal and include therein a plurality of pins or elongatedelectrodes, which are collectively referred to by the reference numerals24 and 44 respectively, and an insulating material (not shown) is filledtherein so as to positionally secure the pins 24 and 44.

The shell 22 of the first connector body 20 comprises, as best seen fromFIG. 4, a top shell plate 22A and a bottom shell plate 22B as well asside shell plates 22C, thus forming a box shape that has a predetermineddepth 22D (see FIG. 3) that extends from the front edge 20A to the rearedge 20B of the first connector body 20. The pins 24 of the firstconnector body 20 are arranged parallel to the direction of the depth22D.

The shell 22 of the first connector 20 is formed in its top shell plate22A with engagement projections 30. Each of the projections 30 is formedby cutting the top shell plate 22A in an angled C shape, and theresulting tongue pieces 22E are bent inward toward the interior of theshell 22. The tongue pieces 22E are in the shape of elongated parts ofthe shell 22 that extend in the direction of the depth 22D of the firstconnector body 20, and they are parallel to the side shell plates 22C ofthe first connector body 20 or to the side edges 22A′ of the top shellplate 22A.

The tongue pieces 22E are bent at locations of distance 22W from theside shell plates 22C or from the side edges 22A′ of the first connectorbody 20 to make the engagement projections 30. The engagementprojections 30 are provided with a space of a distance L apart from thefront edge 20A of the first connector body 20. In other words, the frontends 32 of the engagement projections 30 are spaced apart from the frontedge 20A of the first connector body 20. The engagement projections 30have a length 30L which is, in the shown embodiment, about two third thedepth 22D of the first connector body 20.

On the other hand, the shell 42 of the second connector body 40comprises, as best seen from FIG. 6, a top shell plate 42A and a bottomshall shell plate 42B as well as side shell plates 42C, thus forming abox shape with a predetermined depth 42D (see FIG. 6) that extends fromthe front edge 40A to the rear edge 40B of the second connector body 40.The overall size of the shell 42 of the second connector 42 is slightlysmaller than the shell 22 of the first connector body 20 so that thesecond connector body 40 is fitted in the first connector body 20 fromthe front side of the first connector body 20. The pins 44 of the secondconnector body 40 are arranged so be parallel to the direction of thedepth 42D.

The shell 42 of the second connector body 40 is formed in its top shellplate 42A with engagement slits 50. Each of the engagement slits 50 isformed by cutting away parts of the top shell plate 42A linearly so thatthe engagement slits 50 are parallel to and adjacent to the side plates42C or to side edges 42A′ of the top shell plate 42A. An alternateconstruction would be to mold the slits 50 into the shell 42 when theshell 42 is made. The engagement slits 50 are provided so as to extendin the direction of depth 42D of the shell 42 of the second connectorbody 40. In other words, the front end ends 52 of the engagement slits50 are on the front edge 40A of the second connector body 40. Theengagement slits 50 have a length 50L which is, in the shown embodiment,about two thirds of the depth 42D of the second connector body 40 and isslightly larger in length than the engagement projections 30 of thefirst connector body 20.

The engagement slits 50 are opened at locations of distance 42W from theside shell plates 42C or from the side edges 42A′ of the top shell plate42A of the second connector body 40, the distance 42W beingsubstantially the same as the distance 22W of the engagement projections30 of the first connector body 20. Thus, the engagement slits 50positionally correspond to the engagement projections 30 of the firstconnector body 20. The width W of the engagement slits 50 issubstantially the same as (or slightly larger than) the thickness of thetongue pieces 22E (engagement projections 30) which is the thickness ofthe metal material of the shell 22 of the first connector body 20.

The reference numerals 60 shown in FIG. 2 are raised springy holdersformed by notching the top shell plate 42A of the second connector body40 and raised outwardly.

The first and second connector bodies 20 and 40 structured as describedabove are connected by way of mating together at the front ends of theshells 22 and 42.

More specifically, as shown in FIG. 7, the second connector body 40,which is attached at its rear edge 40B to, typically, a plug assembly 6070 that is connected to, for instance, an electrical cable (not shown),is held by hand, and then it is brought to the vicinity of the firstconnector body 20 which is installed in a casing body of, for instance,a PDA (not shown).

The front edge 40A of the second connector body 40, which is a plug sideconnector element, is set so as to face the front edge 20A of the firstconnector body 20, which is a receptacle side connector element, so thatthe first and second connector bodies 20 and 40 are aligned in thedirection of the depth thereof (which brings an alignment of the pins 24and 44 installed in such connector bodies 20 and 40). In thispositioning, since the distances 22W and 42W of the first and secondconnector bodies 20 and 40 are substantially equal, the engagementprojections 30 of the first connector body 20 and the engagement slits50 of the second connector body 40 are also aligned on imaginarystraight lines.

Then, the second connector body 40 is pushed into the first connectorbody 20 as shown by arrow in FIG. 8. During the initial pushingmovement, the outer surfaces of the shell 42 of the second connectorbody 40 are guided by the inner surfaces of the shells 22 of the firstconnector body 20. After advancing the distance L which is the distancefrom the front edge 20A to the front ends 32 of the engagementprojections 30 in the first connector body 20, the engagement slits 50of the second connector body 40 come into engagement with the engagementprojections 30 of the first connector body 20. As a result, the slidingmovement of the second connector body 40 in the depth 22D of and towardthe rear edge 20B of the first connector body 20 is guided by theengagement projections 30. The second connector body 40 is thus pushedinto the first connector body 20 straight with the pins inside bothconnector bodies aligned straight as well and connected to the firstconnector body 20 (see FIG. 9, in which the second connector body 40 isunseen since it is inside the first connector body 20). The secondconnector body 40 is held inside the first connector body 20 by theraised springy holders 60 that press against the inside surface of thetop shell plate 22A of the first connector body 20.

The width W of each engagement slit 50 is substantially the same as (orslightly larger than) the thickness of the engagement projection 30, andthus the engagement projections 30 have substantially no space for playin the direction perpendicular to the direction of the length of theengagement slits 50 or to the direction of the connecting direction ofthe first and second connector bodies 20 and 40. Accordingly, theengagement slits 50 of the second connector body 40 make no lateralmovements during the sliding movement, keeping the straight alignmentobtained by the engaged engagement projections 30 and engagement slits50.

As a result, even when the second connector body 40 is slanted withreference to the first connector body 20 during the initial connectingstage, such a slanted positional relationship is automatically correctedto a straight relationship as the second connector body 40 is pushedinto deep in the first connector body 20, and a snug and secureengagement of the first and second connector bodies 20 and 40 isaccomplished, and pins 24 and 44 of the first and second connectorbodies 20 and 40 are connected properly. The engagement projections 30and the engagement slits 50 are formed near the side edges 22A′ and 42A′of the first and second connector bodies 20 and 40, respectively;accordingly, the connection of the connector bodies 20 and 40 can bemade in a stable fashion, and a separation of the connected connectingbodies can be made easily.

1. A connector comprising a first connector element and a secondconnector element that are coupled together, wherein said first andsecond connector elements are each formed with a metallic shell; saidfirst connector element is formed with an engagement projection thatprojects toward an interior of said first connector element and extendsin a direction of depth of said first connector element, a front end ofsaid engagement projection being spaced apart from a front edge of saidconnector element by a predetermined distance; said engagementprojection is formed by cutting a C-shape slit in a top surface of saidmetallic shell of said first connector element and bending a tongueformed downwardly; and said second connector element is formed with anengagement slit in said metallic shell that extends in a direction ofdepth of said metallic shell of said second connector for engaging withsaid engagement projection formed in said metallic shell of said firstconnector element.
 2. The connector according to claim 1, wherein saidengagement projection is provided at two locations of said firstconnector element so as to be parallel to side edges of said firstconnector element, and said engagement slit is provided at two locationof said second connector element so as to be parallel to side edges ofsaid second connector element and to correspond to said two locations ofsaid engagement projections of said first connector element.
 3. Theconnector according to claim 1, wherein said engagement projection has apredetermined length in said depth direction and said engagement slithas a predetermined length in said depth direction which is at saidpredetermined length of said engagement projection.
 4. An electricalconnector comprising: a plug connector element having a first metallicshell and adapted to be coupled to a receptacle connector element havinga second metallic shell, the first shell comprising a top plate, abottom plate, a first side and a second side and having a width W and adepth D, the first and second sides being small relative to the top andbottom plates making the first shell substantially flat; first andsecond engagement slits formed in the top plate of the first shell, thefirst and second engagement slits starting from a front edge of the topplate and extending in a direction of the depth D; an array ofelectrodes positioned within the first shell extending in a direction ofthe depth D between the first and second engagement slits such thatthere are no electrodes between an engagement slit and its respectiveside, the array of electrodes being positionally secured by insulatingmaterial to an interior surface of the bottom plate of the first shell,leaving an insertion cavity in the interior of the shell between thearray of electrodes and the top plate; wherein the first and secondengagement slits in the first shell are adapted to engage with first andsecond engagement projections of the receptacle connector element thatproject toward an interior of the receptacle connector element andextend in a direction of a depth of the receptacle connector element, afront end of the first and second engagement projections being spacedapart from a front edge of the receptacle connector element by apredetermined distance, the engagement projections being formed bycutting a C-shape slit in a top surface of the second shell and bendinga tongue formed downwardly.
 5. The electrical connector of claim 4further comprising first and second raised springy holders that areraised upwardly from the top plate of the first shell, the raisedspringy holders providing for compressive action when the plug connectorelement is coupled to the receptacle connector element.
 6. Theelectrical connector of claim 4 further comprising a plug assemblyattached to a rear edge of the plug connector element; and a cablecoupled to the plug assembly and electrically coupled to the array ofelectrodes via the plug assembly.
 7. An electrical connector comprising:a plug connector element having a first shell and adapted to be coupledto a receptacle connector element having a second shell, the first shellcomprising a top plate, a bottom plate, a first side and a second sideand having a width W and a depth D, the first and second sides beingsmaller relative to the top and bottom plates; first and secondengagement slits formed in the top plate of the first shell, the firstand second engagement slits starting from a front edge of the top plateand extending in a direction of the depth D; an array of electrodespositioned within the first shell extending in a direction of the depthD between the first and second engagement slits such that there are noelectrodes between an engagement slit and its respective side, the arrayof electrodes being positionally secured by insulating material to aninterior surface of the first shell, leaving an insertion cavity in theinterior of the shell between the array of electrodes and the top plate;wherein the first and second engagement slits in the first shell areadapted to engage with first and second engagement projections of thereceptacle connector that project towards an interior of the receptacleconnector element and extend in a direction of depth of the receptacleconnector element.
 8. The electrical connector of claim 7 wherein theplug connector element is formed with a metallic shell.
 9. Theelectrical connector of claim 8 further comprising first and secondraised springy holders that are raised upwardly from the top plate ofthe shell, the raised springy holders providing for compressive actionwhen the plug connector element is coupled to the receptacle connectorelement.
 10. The electrical connector of claim 7 further comprisingfirst and second springy retention pins protruding from the first andsecond sides, respectively, the retention pins providing releasablelocking mechanism when the plug connector mates with a receptacleconnector.
 11. The electrical connector of claim 10 wherein a length ofthe first and second engagement slits is about two thirds the depth D ofthe first shell.
 12. The electrical connector of claim 11 furthercomprising a plug assembly attached to a rear edge of the plug connectorelement.
 13. The electrical connector of claim 12 further comprising acable coupled to the plug assembly and electrically coupled to the arrayof electrodes via the plug assembly.
 14. The electrical connector ofclaim 13 wherein the plug assembly comprises a mechanism for retractingthe springy retention pins into the body of the plug connector torelease the locking mechanism.
 15. An electrical plug connectorcomprising: a body having a top plate, a bottom plate, a first side anda second side, the body having a width W and a depth D, wherein thefirst and second sides are smaller relative to the top and bottom platesproviding a generally flat body; first and second engagement slitsformed on the top plate of the body and extending from a front edge ofthe top plate in a direction of depth D for engaging with engagementprojections formed in a body of a corresponding receptacle sideconnector element; an array of electrodes positioned within andextending in the direction of the depth D of the body between the firstand second engagement slits such that there are no electrodes between anengagement slit and its respective side, the array of electrodes beingpositionally secured by insulating material to an interior surface ofthe bottom plate of the body, leaving an insertion cavity in theinterior of the body between the array of electrodes and the top plate;wherein the first and second engagement slits facilitate insertionalignment when the plug connector mates with a corresponding receptacleconnector by mating with engagement projections that project toward aninterior of the receptacle connector and extend in a direction of depthof the receptacle connector.
 16. The electrical plug connector of claim15 wherein the body comprises a metallic shell.
 17. The electrical plugconnector of claim 16 wherein the first engagement slit is formed at adistance W from the first side and the second engagement slit is formedat a distance W from the second side.
 18. The electrical plug connectorof claim 16 further comprising a retention mechanism formed on the bodyand operable to provide secure engagement between the plug connector anda corresponding receptacle connector when the plug connector mates withthe corresponding receptacle connector, wherein the retention mechanismcomprises at least one raised springy holder raised outwardly from oneof either the top plate or the bottom plate of the body, the raisedspringy holder providing compressive action when the plug connectormates with a corresponding receptacle connector.
 19. The electrical plugconnector of claim 15 further comprising a plug assembly attached to thebody for coupling an electrical cable to the connector.
 20. Anelectrical plug connector comprising: a body having a top plate, abottom plate, a first side and a second side, the body having a width Wand a depth D, wherein the first and second sides are smaller relativeto the top and bottom plates providing a substantially flat body; anarray of electrodes extending in the direction of the depth D, the arrayof electrodes being positionally secured by insulating material to aninterior surface of the body; a retention mechanism formed on the bodyand operable to provide secure engagement between the plug connector anda corresponding receptacle connector when the plug connector mates withthe corresponding receptacle connector, wherein the retention mechanismcomprises at least one raised springy holder raised outwardly from aplate of the body, the raised springy holder providing compressiveaction when the plug connector mates with a corresponding receptacleconnector; and first and second slits formed on the top plate of thebody extending in the direction of the depth D, the first slit beingformed at a distance S1 from the first side and the second slit beingformed at a distance S2 from the second side, wherein the array ofelectrodes is disposed between the first and second slits such thatthere are no electrodes between a slit and its respective side, andwherein the first and second slits facilitate insertion alignment whenthe plug connector mates with a corresponding receptacle connector. 21.The electrical plug connector of claim 20 wherein each of the outermostelectrodes of the array of electrodes is spaced away from its respectiveside by a distance that is no less than S1 or S2.
 22. The electricalplug connector of claim 21 wherein each of the first and second slitshas a length that is about two thirds of the depth D of the body. 23.The electrical plug connector of claim 20 further comprising first andsecond springy retention pins protruding from the first and secondsides, respectively, the retention pins providing releasable lockingmechanism when the electrical connector mates with another connector.24. The electrical plug connector of claim 20 further comprising a plugassembly attached to a rear edge of the body for coupling an electricalcable to the body.
 25. The electrical plug connector of claim 24 whereinthe plug assembly comprises a mechanism for retracting the springyretention pins into the body of the electrical connector to release thelocking mechanism.
 26. The electrical plug connector of claim 20 whereinthe slits are formed by one of either cutting through the top plate ormolding them into the top plate.
 27. The electrical plug connector ofclaim 20 wherein the top plate and the bottom plates are made of metal.28. The electrical plug connector of claim 20 wherein each of the firstand second slits begins at a front edge of the top plate.